


I'd Follow Him Anywhere

by kiritila



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Returning Home, bc they're pining fools who are edgily breakdancing around their feelings for each other, just to clarify keith and lance aren't together yet, keith is whipped, klance if you rlly squint, oof, please don't @ me i know it won't happen i'm a tired and angry aroace who wants klance, sorry the klance is minor, spoiler: it didn't happen because voltron is bad :(, theyre dorks in love, written before season seven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 14:37:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15536427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiritila/pseuds/kiritila
Summary: The team returns to Earth, and to the Garrison.Commander Iverson has a thing or two to say to Lance.





	I'd Follow Him Anywhere

Clouds of dust flew up in large flurries as the claws of the lions made contact with the dry, desolate desert. The sun beat down menacingly and the sky remained a brilliant, bold blue - it was as if time had stood still since the paladins left Earth. Everything was unchanged.

Except for one thing. A giant hole was visible in the side of a towering, rocky hill. Lance smirked at the sight of it. He heard the chuckles of his friends on the comms as their attention was drawn to the gaping crater.

It felt good to be back. Of course, he wasn't with his family yet, but now, they weren't unreachable. They were only an ocean away. Why did they have to live an ocean away? Lance wanted to see them _now_ , not "in a few hours, after we've told the Garrison about all this," like Shiro had told him.

He wanted to feel the sand between his toes, the wind in his hair, the water lapping against his back. He wanted to eat his mother's food again, melt into her warm embraces and hear her comforting voice.

He wanted to go _home_.

Lance tiredly pushed himself from Red's comfy seat and made his way to the doors, scooping up his helmet and bayard. The lion's giant mouth opened and Lance barrelled down the ramp, fuelled by a sudden, new-found adrenaline and the comfort that Red was sending him. Pausing before he reached the dry ground, he watched fondly as the others exited their lions. He watched Hunk, Pidge, Keith and Shiro smile widely when they realised that they were home. He saw Krolia observe the terrain with a pained expression, as she remembered lost years and lost love. What she wouldn't give to wipe the tears and the years away. He watched Allura, Coran and Romelle, look around, puzzled at the unfamiliar land, and saw them quietly muse over why the paladins held it so dearly to themselves. Keith's wolf sniffed around with a strange curiosity, threading between everyone's legs.

Eventually, Lance built up the courage to take another step. Rocks shifted under his shoes, crumbling, and sand blew harshly at his face, but Lance didn't care. He was home, and that was the most important thing. 

Looking over at Keith to share his excitement with someone, he saw him suddenly divert his gaze away. Lance smirked, knowing he had caught the former red paladin staring. Why would he be staring at _Lance_ , of all people, the only person he resented with a passion? It was no secret that they were no longer rivals, but Keith still managed to invade Lance's thoughts with his beautiful, violet eyes and soft, raven hai-

 _Nope, not going down there again_ , Lance shook the thoughts from his head. He sidled up to the others, silent, still in shock that they were finally here. It had taken them a while, but they had eventually made it.

"I can't believe we're here," Lance murmured, to no-one in particular. All of a sudden, several pairs of arms snaked around his body and remained there. Lance twisted to wrap his own arms around the shoulders of Pidge and Keith, shooting the dark-haired boy a soft smile.

"Thank you," he mouthed, ignorant to how Keith's face burst into a dark shade of red. The others joined soon after, and instantaneously they were a large mass of different height, size, race and age. But none of that mattered. They were a family now. A mismatched, jigsaw puzzle of a family, but they fit together well, and refused to break apart. Joyous laughter drifted over the desert for the next few minutes, the group frozen in the moment.

None of them heard the rumble of Garrison trucks pulling up to them.

Hunk was first to notice when they squeaked to a halt. He poked Pidge, who in turn clambered up a very flustered Keith (who was too flustered to notice Pidge's bony fingers digging into his shoulders) and whispered to Shiro. The huddle broke apart, eyeing up the heavily armoured trucks with suspicion. The paladins stepped in front - hiding Allura and Coran. Romelle, Krolia and the space wolf had since retreated inside the Blue Lion.

Commander Iverson hopped out the leading truck, a vindictive look in his eyes. About six Garrison soldiers surrounded him. Lance saw Keith grit his teeth and clench his fists. An ominous silence had settled over the desert. Iverson's glare settled on Shiro.

"So, Shirogane, you decided to come back?" Shiro didn't respond. He kept close to Keith, ready to put out a comforting hand in case Iverson said anything.

"Gunderson, Garrett." Pidge and Hunk refused to look him in the eye, stronger than the years of belittlement and mockery.

"Ah, Kogane. I thought I told you to beat it. What are you doing back here?" he sneered. Keith muttered something angrily under his breath ("You...my father..." was all Lance heard) and took a step forward, only to be restrained by Shiro. He was trembling all over.

Then it was Lance's turn.

"McClain. I'm not surprised you're here, with the outcasts. I'm guessing this was all your fault." Lance narrowed his eyes, but remained silent. A hand hovered over his thigh, ready to activate his bayard. The words were hurtful, eating away at his deepest insecurities. But he couldn't let it show. He had to be at his strongest when his family were at their weakest. Push down, repress, try to forget - it was a routine that Lance was all too familiar with. He stepped closer to Keith and brushed a comforting finger over the back of his palm - a sign of reassurance that Lance wasn't even able to grant to himself. Iverson saw this. His stare was judgemental; almost mocking.

"You're with Kogane? He's a disaster. And I told you not to follow in his footsteps." Iverson growled, condescendingly, turning to face Lance once more.

That was it. The final straw. Lance couldn't take this brutal onslaught of his family any longer. He wanted to stand up for them, except he didn't know how. He'd never been one for conflict - either trying his best to stop it, playing the peacemaker - or avoiding it completely. So he tried, in the only way he knew how, the only way that he had known for the last year or so.

Lance summoned his bayard.

He raised it, red clashing with blue, letting Iverson see the weapon. Lance clutched Keith's wrist tightly, but didn't look back. He didn't let his team see the blazing anger - or the hunger for vengeance - in his brilliant blue eyes.

"I'd follow him anywhere." Lance snarled. His tone was laced with venom.

Iverson folded his arms over his chest and leaned in towards Lance slightly.

"And look at where that got you, McClain. Lost in space with these outcasts. You'd have been better off dying up there, a disappointment. You fit in well with this lot. A failure of a pilot, a coward, a smartass, and the kid nobody wants." Lance recoiled in horror at these vile words. He felt Keith break out of his vice grip, and heard him struggle against Shiro. Lance couldn't take it any longer. His bayard activated, morphing into his familiar blaster. He charged forward as Iverson stepped back, an evil glint in his eye. Lance felt strong arms hook under his armpits, pulling him back and knocking his bayard out of his hands at the same time. It fell to the floor with a thud. It retreated back into the smaller, rounded form of the bayard. The others stared at it in disbelief, shocked that Lance was capable of such an outburst.

"Hey! Let go of me!" Lance struggled against the guards, but they were too strong. He kicked wildly and tried to throw his fists about, but his attempts were futile and only resulted in the guards' grips to tighten.

"Face it, McClain. They're hopeless. You're hopeless. There's no point in trying to defend them, 'cause it won't work. You can't break what's already broken." Iverson turned on his heel and stalked off back to the trucks. The guards forcefully threw Lance to the floor and followed the Garrison commander. He looked up at them, wincing in pain as they retreated. Strong, yet gentle arms pulled him up, and he rubbed his back before reaching down and plucking his bayard out the sand. He brushed it off forlornly and let it melt back into his armour.

Lance looked around at the empty, despondent faces in front of him. They were broken, just as Iverson had said. 

"I'm sorry. About what _he said_." There was silence for a moment. Each offered Lance a look of gratitude - apart from Keith. He was looking off to the side, expression pained and still shaking.

The others stepped away as Lance slowly approached the former red paladin. He raised his hand to rest on his shoulder. Keith's head turned quickly, eyes wide and with tears forming fast at the corners. His dark hair whipped around his face as a single tear ran over the strange mark on his face.

Lance smiled reassuringly, and pulled Keith into a hug. Their arms wrapped around each other's torsos and they buried their heads into the others' shoulder. Keith shook violently as he cried, Lance cradling him and tracing shapes into his lower back.

"Hey man, listen..." Lance began, his tone soft.

**Author's Note:**

> hey, i hope you enjoyed! i wrote this for something i saw on twitter (well, for @/kthkogn on twitter - they're very nice) that i found over a month ago - i'm sorry it took so long! i started it, and ever since i've been swamped by exams, schoolwork and a bunch of stuff in my personal life.
> 
> so yeah, i kinda got bored by the end and wanted some klance, so excuse me if the end feels rushed as i just wanted to get it done - whatchu gon do ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ
> 
> i also drew something for this a while back, but it's bad cause i'm bad at art lmao.
> 
> just copy this link into google - https://it-was-strictly-planetonic.tumblr.com/post/175701451519/id-follow-him-anywhere-a-piece-i-did-for-a
> 
> check out my social medias! (they're trash please don't)
> 
>  
> 
> my twitter: @rainylance  
> my tumblr: @it-was-strictly-planetonic  
> my amino (voltron, klance, hamilton): @planetonic


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